Water as the often neglected medium at the interface between materials and biology

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Water's complex behavior is crucial for biological processes.
• Understanding water-material interactions, especially in hydrogels, is key.
• Current knowledge gaps limit applying water-material insights to biology.

Purpose of the Study:

• Highlight the significance of water in biomaterials science.
• Identify research directions for a comprehensive understanding of water, materials, and biology.
• Bridge the gap between molecular water organization and biological impact.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and perspective synthesis.
• Analysis of water-material interactions at the molecular level.
• Discussion of biological implications in biomaterials.

Main Results:

• Water's role in biomaterials is multifaceted and critical.
• Molecular organization of water influences biological outcomes.
• A unified understanding of water, materials, and biology is lacking.

Conclusions:

• Emphasize the central role of water in biomaterials.
• Call for further research into water's molecular behavior within materials.
• Advocate for integrating water-material-biology perspectives for future advancements.